Makemie Churches Celebrate their 350th Anniversary

The public is invited to the Sturgis Park pavilion, 100 River Street in Snow Hill on Sunday,
June 26th, 2022, at 3 PM for a worship celebration of the Makemie Presbyterian Churches’
350th anniversary! This site honors the original location of Makemie Memorial Presbyterian
of Snow Hill, which was within a block of the Pocomoke River. The celebration will center
on Psalm 100 and will feature music and sermonettes from each century. Featured preachers are Rev. Len Hedges-Goettl, Rev. Kirk Dausman, Rev. Kerry Shull, and Rev. Barb
Hedges-Goettl. Music is being organized by Rev. David Jones. (Anyone who would like to
sing in the choir is invited to come for rehearsal at 2:30 PM on that day.)

On March 12, 1672, Somerset County gave permission to Presbyterians in the region to
gather for worship along the rivers at four locations in what are now Somerset, Worcester,
and Wicomico Counties. Thus, the churches had already been meeting for eleven years when Rev. Francis Makemie, considered the founder of American Presbyterianism, came as pastor from Scotland in 1683. The Snow Hill church was renamed after Rev. Makemie in 1883 in honor of the 200th anniversary of Makemie’s arrival. Services, led by Rev. Dr. Barbara Hedges-Goettl, interim pastor, are still held each Sunday at 11 AM. All are welcome.

The public is invited to stop by the church building at 103 W. Market Street in downtown
Snow Hill. You can open the front doors and come in to see the historic Gothic Revival
building, which is on the national register. Dedicated in 1890, it was designed by noted
Philadelphia architect Isaac Pursell and is the only building he designed in this area. Also feel free to walk through the cemetery, which includes the grave of Revolutionary War Lt. Col. Levin Handy and the graves of Maryland Senator Ephraim King Wilson II and Gov. John
Walter Smith and his wife.

CONTACT: Rev. Barb Hedges-Goettl 262-308-2501 [email protected]